St. Louis Spirit
Fall
2O15
In Memory of St. Louis Guanella’s Legacy
The Centennial birth of St. Louis
Guanella into heaven, October 24,
1915, opens up a new horizon in
the history of the Guanellian family.
When the father of a family passes
away, his children are sad and miss
him. And after a period of time,
they return to life’s normality. At
this point, children must inculcate
four things: to internalize their
paternal inheritance, to take on
more responsibility, to reconstruct
the unfinished works of their father
and to serve their mother, which
for the Servants of Charity and the
Daughters of St. Mary of Providence
are our congregations.
Internalizing our paternal
inheritance means that every son
and daughter must ask themselves,
“Do I really know the father?” Every
son and daughter of Father Guanella
should have a thirst to know his
spirit, charism and mission.
Taking up responsibility means
that as Guanellians we must respond
to the signs of the times within the
Church. We are given the task of
discerning the needs of the people
and ensuring that the poor will not
be disappointed in their expectations.
Reconstructing the unfinished
works of the father means that Father
Guanella had not accomplished
Administrator’s Message
As we move from summer into
fall, the days are getting shorter and
the nights a bit colder. But this new
season brings with it
a fresh purpose as we
continue to move ahead
with our plans for the
new St. Louis Guanella
Village being proposed
for the southwest
corner of our property here in Sylvan
Twp. We are currently working with
architect Marco Silveri on the design
of the project, and our staff has been
16195 W. Old US Hwy. 12,
Fr. Soosai Rathinam, SdC
Provincial Superior
researching other effective programs
in Michigan. These include the
Genesis Non-Profit Housing
Corporation and Wedgewood
Christian Services in Grand Rapids,
along with the Autism Collaborative
at Eastern Michigan University, and
the Autism Alliance of Michigan.
During the September visit of the
Servants of Charity leadership,
we recieved full approval from the
congregation for the Village project.
Now we are working with Sylvan
Township to obtain approval for
Chelsea MI 48118
all that he intended. We are not
called to put up our own structures
but the structures of the Founder
given to our congregation. Finally,
serving the mother means serving
the congregations (the Servants of
Charity and the Daughters of St.
Mary of Providence). She needs our
love and our contributions. Let us
serve her with commitment.
During this Centennial
celebration, the sons and daughters
of Father Guanella are called to
transmit these things into the world
where we work in his name. Let us
mark this Centennial by building
more missions throughout the world.
phone 734-475-8430
the three children’s homes, the first
segment of homes to be constructed.
Recent meetings with the State
Department of Health and Human
Services revealed the need for more
specialized residential programming
for children with autism as this
population continues to grow, and
we hope to be able to fill some of
these needs. An exciting future is
in store for St. Louis Center as we
continue to adapt to meet the needs
of the 21st Century.
fax 734-475-0310
www.stlouiscenter.org
Guanellian Family Grows
On September 19, 2015, a special Mass and dinner
to celebrate the 100th Anniversary of the passing of
St. Louis Guanella into the heavenly arms of God was
held at St. Mary Parish in Chelsea. Special celebrants
during the Mass included the Most Rev. Bishop Earl
Boyea of the Diocese of Lansing, Most Rev. Alfonso
Crippa – Superior General of the Servants of Charity
from Rome Italy, Provincial Fr. Soosai Rathinam from
Chennai, India, Provincial Treasurer Fr. Joseph Rinaldo,
Fr. Enzo Addari, Fr. David Stawasz, and Fr. Satheesh
Alphonse from the Chelsea Community of the Servants
of Charity, and St. Mary Pastor, Fr. William J. Turner.
need, deepening the charism (spirituality) of St. Louis
Guanella in their lives, and “cooperating” to support the
Guanellian Family. Following the Mass, 200 guests of
the Guanellian Family enjoyed a catered meal donated
by Gina Pantely and the staff of the Chelsea Grill, and
Fr. Joseph Rinaldo presented certificates to the new
Cooperators.
The purpose of the Mass was twofold: it gave the
followers of the local Guanellian Community an
opportunity to celebrate the life and passing of St.
Louis Guanella, and sixty-five (65) members of the
laity made the “Guanellian Promise” after Mass. This
promise committed them to leading an authentic
Christian life, paying attention to disabled persons in
Residents’ First Trip to See Mud Hens
Through the generosity of the Knights of Columbus
Council in Temperance, MI,
a group of 22 residents and
staff members from St. Louis
Center were able to attend
a baseball game in Toledo,
OH between the Toledo
Mud Hens and the Louisville
Bats, which the Mud Hens
won by a score of 5-2. To the
delight of members of the
Temperance Council, this trip focused on the children’s
program, which filled one of the vans and included the
ladies from OLP and the gentlemen
from Fr. Guanella Hall. Each ticket
came with a food voucher provided
by the Mud Hens, and our residents
enjoyed their traditional ball park
meal, with the assistance of Fr. Enzo
who also threw out the first pitch!
Annual Outing to Comerica Park
The Detroit Tigers are the official major league baseball team
of St. Louis Center, and our residents love going to Tiger games
every summer. This year’s ballgame took place on Wednesday,
July 22, 2015, and forty residents and staff members watched
the Tigers take on the Seattle Mariners. The Tigers won by a
score of 9-4, and the residents in attendance got to witness 3rd
basemen Nick Castellanos hit the first grand slam home run of
his career in the 3rd inning. Most importantly, everyone had
a great time at the ball park and enjoyed another fun summer
outing in the City of Detroit.
St. Louis Spirit
Golfers Continue to Support St. Louis Center
Joe’s Top Dog -
This year was
the 19th year for the Joe’s Top Dog Golf Outing,
and thanks to our friends Joe and Zoja Bojovic, this
outing continues to be one of the most successful of
the summer based on the number of supporters who
come out for the day. This year’s outing was held on
Sunday, July 27, 2015 at Mystic Creek Golf Course in
Milford, MI. Golfers enjoyed all day Coney Island Hot
Dogs while playing on a challenging course, and at
the end of the day, everyone was proud of the support
given to St. Louis Center and the Servants of Charity.
The Bojovic Family has a great love for the residents
of St. Louis Center, and it shows in the hugs given to
each one at the end of the day. We thank Joe & Zoja for their
continued commitment to SLC.
Dad & Lad - For 18 years, the “Eastside
Italian” community of Detroit has been financially supporting
St. Louis Center through a golf outing known as the Dad
& Lad Outing, and this year’s event took place on August
4, 2015. The outing was held at Twin Lakes Golf Course in
Rochester Hills, MI. The concept for this outing is for fathers
to teach their young sons the importance of charity to others,
and to instill these important values while they are still young
and impressionable. The three major benefactors of this
outing are Mike Chirco, Sam Cottone, and Joe Maniaci, and
nearly 250 people came to dinner that evening to show their
support. Most importantly, Fr. Joseph Rinaldo (Provincial
Treasurer) honored Mike Chirco with a Papal Blessing on the
occasion of his 70th birthday.
Memorial Golf Outing -
The
SLC Memorial Golf Outing took place in Chelsea at Pierce
Lake Golf Course on Saturday, August 15, 2015. The event
is an opportunity to celebrate the life of a SLC supporter
who has passed on during the last year, and this year’s event
memorialized John R. “Bob” Moody who was a Past State
Deputy of the Michigan Knights of Columbus (2008-2010).
The event featured 15 teams competing for the top prizes,
and everyone enjoyed a warm sunny day on the golf course.
The winning team shot 13 under par for the day. This event
is now in its 28th year and could be SLC’s oldest continuous
fundraiser.
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Fall 2O15
Knights Cook Up Fun for the Residents
The summer schedule isn’t complete without a visit from St. Louis
Guanella Council #3092 of the Knights of Columbus from Chelsea.
Past Grand Knight Tom Turek chaired this year’s event held on
Thursday, August 20, 2015. The menu featured grilled hot dogs and
hamburgers and healthy side dishes. After dinner, the Knights engaged
the residents in a game of kickball. Everyone had a great time, and the
most important thing was seeing smiles on the faces of our residents at
the end of the evening.
Tocco Family Serves Smiles
Members of the Tocco Family
have been supporting St. Louis
Center since the early 80s, and
every year their family members
and friends visit SLC for the
“Tocco Family Picnic.” This year’s
picnic took place on Sunday,
August 23, 2015, and included
pizza, hot dogs and hamburgers,
chicken tenders, potato chips,
and snow cones. Jack Tocco, Jr.
and Dominic Bommarito are the
new leaders of the group, and
they brought along a balloon
maker and two young ladies who
were face painters for the day’s
festivities. The residents always
enjoy the food and fun that
accompany a visit from the Tocco
family.
Residents “Run for the Rolls”
St. Louis Center welcomed back Fitness Specialist
Caitlin Blomquist for
this year’s annual “Run
for the Rolls” event in
Chelsea. The “Run”
features a 5K race
followed by a one mile
walk on the last day of
the Chelsea Community
Fair, and precedes the Fair
Parade. The event was
The 2015 St. Louis Center Car Show entered its
third year on September 20th with a total of 110 cars
and owners visiting our beautiful grounds. An eclectic
selection of classic cars, trucks, and custom vehicles were
represented at this year’s show, and guests were able to
see everything from a one-hundred year old 1915 Ford
Model-T “Speedster” to a 2013 modified Corvette that
won “Best in Show.” Local DJ Jerry Martell provided
50’s and 60’s rock and roll in the morning, while Brian
“Bubba” Cowan from W4 Country 102.9 FM Ann
St. Louis Spirit
on Saturday, August 29th, and 35 residents, family and
friends participated. Michigan Lt. Governor
Brian Calley also participated with his son
this year. He addressed the crowd about
the importance of including persons with
intellectual and developmental disabilities in
fitness activities and met the SLC residents.
Community members cheered loudly for
our walkers as each went by, and everyone
was a winner for making the effort to
participate with the community.
3rd Annual Car Show a Hit
Arbor ran a remote broadcast in afternoon and assisted
with the awards presentations.
IAD Continues to Give
Twin Lakes Golf Course once again hosted the Italian American
Delegates Golf Outing on July 13, 2015, where Fr. Enzo Addari
(center) received a check for $5,000 for St. Louis Center from
funds raised at the outing.
Friendship Takes Root
A goal of St. Louis Center has been to join together with
Intentional Communities Washtenaw to become better
acquainted socially, and on Monday, September 14, 2015,
a group of ICW children, parents and staff joined St. Louis
Center residents for a barbeque.
New Billboard Advertising
Live with WAAM Radio
St. Louis Center was promoted on back-to-back days on July
25th and 26th, as PR Director Joe Yekulis was featured with
Linda Hughes on “The American Dream” Show, and St.
Joseph Mercy Chelsea CEO Nancy Graebner appeared on the
Dr. David Janda Show.
Gridiron Greats
SLC Board member Tom Nowatzke fights to raise awareness of
closed head injuries for former NFL players through the Gridiron
Greats organization. Fr. Enzo is shown with Tom and Norm
Neuman at the recent banquet in Novi on September 25th.
KofC Corner–Temperance Council
The Servants of Charity recently contracted with Adams
Sign to promote SLC with a new sign at EB I-94/Mt. Hope
Rd. The sign went up at Exit #150 during the week of
September 28th.
Fr. Enzo and
Joe Yekulis
were invited
to Quinby’s
Restaurant in
Temperance,
MI for Council
#8902’s annual
awards banquet
on July 17th.
Fr. Enzo was
honored by
Grand Knight Frank Esposito with the council’s MI Drive check
and a certificate of appreciation.
Fall 2O15
Fall Auction to Honor the “Legacy of a Saint”
The Annual Fall Dinner
Auction will once again be held
at St. Joseph Mercy Chelsea
this year with an expanded
dining area that will allow more
people to attend on Saturday,
November 14th. Auctioneer Joe
Merkel will also be on hand to
entertain our supporters with
a great night of auctioneering
the many exciting items to
benefit the operations of St.
Louis Center. SJMC will once
again donate the meal for this
“prime time” yearly event. Visit
stlouiscenter.org soon to get a
preview of items that have been
donated for this event.
Event: Fall Dinner & Auction
Date: Saturday, November 14, 2015
Time: 6:00 p.m.
Location: St. Joseph Mercy Chelsea,
775 S. Main St., Chelsea, MI 48118
Cost: $100/person, $175/couple
Contact: St. Louis Center for more
information 734-475-8430.
“Be a Guardian Angel” in Support of SLC
The format for the 21st Annual Dinner
hosted by the Italian American Club of
Livonia this year will include Mass, a sit down
dinner, live entertainment, silent auction,
raffle and presentations. The event will
be held at the beautiful Italian American
Banquet and Conference Center in
Livonia. Tickets are available at the Club
or St. Louis Center. Please RSVP by
Monday, January 18, 2016.
Event: Italian American Dinner Dance
Date: Sunday, January 24, 2016
Time: 12:00 p.m. Mass/1:00 p.m. Dinner
Cost: $60/person
Location: Italian American Banquet and
Conference Center, 39200 Five Mile Rd.,
Livonia, MI 48154
Contact: Joe Yekulis at 734-475-8430 to
purchase tickets
St. Louis Spirit
Upcoming Events
October 22: 2nd Eva Evola & Friends Concert Andiamo’s, Warren
November 14: 28th Annual Fall Dinner Auction - St.
Joseph Mercy, Chelsea
January 24, 2O16: 21st Annual Culinary Extravaganza Italian American Club, Livonia
The Autistic Brain: Thinking Across the Spectrum
Just 30 years ago, the incidence of autism was one in
10,000. Today, the incidence has climbed to 1 in 50.
If you consider the full range of neurological
disorders that could fall under the wider umbrella of
“Autism Spectrum Disorder,” the incidence may be as
high as one in 10.
A conglomerate of potential factors likely
contribute to the rise in autism, including but not limited
to heavy metal toxicity, microbial toxins, dietary factors,
vitamin D deficiency, and electromagnetic radiation.
Helpful Strategies for Autistic Children
There’s tremendous hope for children with autism and
I have made it one of my goals to provide parents with as
many safe and effective cutting-edge solutions as possible.
Based on my own experience and insight from many
autism experts, here are my recommendations:
1. Optimize vitamin D levels through proper sun
exposure or as a last resort oral vitamin D. It is
VITAL to make sure a pregnant mother’s vitamin
D level is above 50 ng/ml during her entire
pregnancy.
2. Eliminate processed foods, sugar (particularly
fructose) and grains from your child’s diet: Sugar
is in fact toxic to your body, capable of causing
profound harm to your health. This includes ALL
forms of sugar, whether it’s regular table sugar or
corn-based sweeteners like high fructose corn syrup
(HFCS), honey, or agave, and whether it’s found in
juice, soda, French fries, or grain products (such as
pasta, bagels, cereal, pretzels, etc).
3. Avoid pasteurized milk. This is absolutely
imperative when you’re treating autism. This
includes ALL milk products, including ice cream,
yogurt, and even whey. Even natural flavorings
in food must be avoided unless the processor
can guarantee, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that
caseinate is not included.
4. Lower microbial burden: Any type of chronic
infection, whether caused by Lyme disease or
any other microbe, such as mold, can spread
through your system and make you chronically ill.
By Dr. Joseph Mercola
One of the major problems is that the biotoxins
produced by the infection compete for the same
detoxification pathways as do other toxins, like
mercury and pesticides, and so on. Make your
child’s body less of an optimal habitat for microbial
overgrowth through dietary changes (less starch
and sugar at minimum) and lowering overall stress.
Also, consider testing for mold (in your home) and
Lyme (in their body) but only after “provocation
treatment.”
5. Lower your toxic burden: Avoid exposure to
as many environmental toxins as you can, such
as pesticides, herbicides, and sources of mercury,
aluminum and fluoride. Also, do whatever you
can to establish a mold, dust, and smell-free
environment for your whole family, followed by
a comprehensive detoxification program. Please
remember hidden toxins like fluoride and carefully
evaluate all cleaning products in your home.
6. Reduce EMF exposure: Exposure to
electromagnetic fields from cell phones, electrical
wiring, and Wi-Fi may significantly add to the
problem because when toxic microbes in your body
are exposed to electromagnetic fields, they respond
as if they’re being attacked, and start producing
even more biotoxins in an attempt to prolong their
survival.
7. Use an effective intervention to address any
emotional stresses as soon as possible – avoid
having destructive thoughts and letting emotions
fester. Potent energy psychology tools such as the
Emotional Freedom Technique are excellent for this
purpose.
Mercola, J. “The Autistic Brain: Thinking Across the Spectrum” Retrieved
October 6, 2015, from: http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/
archive/2014/02/01/autism-spectrum.aspx
Fall 2O15
16195 Old U.S. 12, Chelsea, MI 48118
phone 734-4758430
fax 734-475-0310
Non Profit Org
US Postage Paid
Permit No. 22
Chelsea MI
For more information,
please visit our website:
www.stlouiscenter.org
In Memory of our Friends
Paul Antonelli
Sandra Ballard
William Boyd
Mary Ann Burgess
Maggie Bushong
Sam Callan
Louise Dudy
Antoinette Hilber
Dean Krol
William Schwab
Carol Weir
Margaret ‘Maggie’ Bushong was and was known for doing all of her
a beloved employee of St. Louis Center
who dedicated 20 years of her life to
the service of our residents from 19842004. Maggie passed away
surrounded by family on
Tuesday, September 29th
at Olive Branch Senior
Assisted Living in Perry,
MI. According to Fr. Enzo
Addari, her official title
was “bookkeeper,” but
she was much more than
that, as she also assisted
with several human
resource duties. She performed her
work before the advent of computers,
bookkeeping by hand. Pam Fredette,
whom she trained and worked with
for five years stated that, “Maggie was
one of the kindest, most
compassionate people
you’d ever meet, and she
was very dedicated to St.
Louis Center.” Longtime
employee Ginny Wheaton
also added, “She was a very
nice person and always fun
to be around.” A memorial
Mass was held in her honor
by the Servants of Charity
on Sunday, October 4, 2015, and the
family dedicated a “Tiger Eye” Sumac
tree to SLC in her memory.
St. Louis Center
Community
Advisory Council
Andrew A. Shmina, Chair
Nancy Graebner, Vice-Chair
Joseph Zilke, Treasurer
Larry Doll, Secretary
Julie Ballow
Daniel Burch
Marlene Cunningham
Paul Frisinger
Donna Hrozencik, MD
Daniel Johnson
Willard Johnson
George Mallison
Kathi Neuman
Norm Neuman
Tom Nowatzke
Robert Fox
(MI State Deputy, KofC)